Cushion supports



Dec. 6, 1966 N. GRIMSHAW CUSHION SUPPORTS Filed May 14, 1963 5Sheeis-Sheet 1 lINVENTDR ATTORNEY Dec, 6, 1966 N. GRIMSHAW mmm CUSHIONSUPPORTS Filed May 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT'OR A4 /MSHA w W 5 MMATTORNEY 1966 N. GRIMSHAW $29,226]

CUSHION SUPPORTS Filed May 14, 1963 5 SheetsSheet 5 iNVENTOR A!6-PM4J/// m/ mg/m 51m ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,289,220 CUSHIONSUPPORTS Norman Grirnshaw, Ashton-under-Lyne, England, assignor toVitafoarn, Ltd, Middleton, Lancaster, England Filed May 14, 1963, Ser.No. 280,320 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 15, 1962,18,570/62 9 Claims. (Cl. --220) This invention concerns cushion supportsfor use in conjunction with upholstered furniture. The term furniture isto be construed as including motor vehicle seating, household seating,bedding, and the like, and also rail, sea and aircraft seating and thelike. In particular the term cushion support is to be construed asmeaning a member adapted to be attached to the framework of an articleof furniture to support for example, a cushion.

Recently and particularly in the motor industry, it has become acceptedthat one of the best forms of cushion support comprises either a seriesof interwoven or parallel moulded rubber straps and many manufacturersare using or proposing the use of such cushion supports in their vehicleseats.

It has also been ascertained that one disadvantage of a cushion supportlies in the fact that when it has been positioned it cannot be adjustedfor tension and thus although the tension chosen may be suitable forgiving the cushion the amount of resilience which is satisfactory whenthe seat is new there is the possibility that after wear the tensionwill change and the comfort of the seat thereby be reduced.

It has also been ascertained that, in the case of motor vehicles onecause of driver fatigue is lack of comfort, and thus even with verycarefully chosen initial tension in the support, based upon what may beconsidered, after research, acceptable to the majority of drivers, thein cidence of driver fatigue may well still be high because the tensionis not adjustable to suit individual taste.

It is also well known that a motor vehicle seat frame will have anatural frequency of vibration and that the support attached theretowill have its own natural frequency of vibration. If these twofrequencies should coincide the result will be additive and discomfortaccompanied by fatigue will result.

The above comments all relate to disadvantages which can exist in motorvehicle seating and the principal object of the persent invention is toprovide a cushion support which will reduce or eliminate thedisadvantages.

The support of the present invention will also have advantages in usesother than for motor vehicle seating in that it is basically designed toenable tension to be varied to suit individual requirements.

According to the present invention there is provided a cushion supportincluding at least one resilient member moulded from a thermoplasticmaterial which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and whichwill be resilient when cold there being attached to the member meanswhereby it may directly or indirectly be attached to the frame of anarticle of furniture and at least one means formed on or capable ofbeing attached to the frame of the article of furniture whereby, in usethe tension in the cushion support may be increased or decreased asdesired.

Preferably the cushion support consists of a moulded unitary sheet ofthermoplastic material having at spaced intervals around its periphery aseries of metal reinforced attachment points each of which is capable ofreceiving an attachment member, the attachment members along at leastone side or portion of the sheet consisting of or including anarrangement which can be modified in effective length, whereby thetension in the sheet may, in use, be increased or decreased.

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In one form the thermoplastic sheet is substantially rectangular inshape and is provided with outwardly projecting spaced-apart tonguesalong each side, each tongue being reinforced by the provision of ametal clip secured to the tongue during a moulding operation, therebeing attached to each of the tongues, at least along one side of thesupport member, a metallic hook which is itself attached to a barprovided with a series of spaced-apart screw threaded rods each of whichcarries a. nut and a lock nut, the arrangement being such that, in use,the bar can be moved along the screws towards or away from a furnitureframe thereby to increase or decrease the tension in the support member,the screws being attached to the furniture frame.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective, somewhat diagrammatic, view of part of a seatframe having attached thereto a resilient cushion supoprt and tensionadjusting means,

FIG. 2 is a section on the line II-II of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modification of thearrangement as adapted for attachment to, for example, a wooden seatframe,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of a further modification, 7

FIGS. 5 to 10 are views of still further modifications,

FIG. 11 is a view of part of a mould used for producing a resilientcushion support,

FIG. 12 is a very much enlarged perspective view of part of the mould ofFIG. 11,

FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of a further modification,

7 FIG. 14 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 of a furthermodification, and

FIG. 15 is a part sectional detail view of a modification of thearrangement of FIG. 14.

In the following description reference will be made to a motor car seatbut it will be appreciated that this does not restrict the invention touse in such seats only. Like parts in the drawings are indicated by likereference numerals.

Basically a motor car seat comprises a metallic framework, of which onlyapart 10 is shown, to which is attached an upholstered cushion mounted,preferably removably, on a resilient cushion support 11.

In an arrangement according to this invention, and as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided around the seat frame 10, and aprojecting inwardly thereof, a series of spaced-apart screws 12.Preferably there are twoscrews 12 along each side vof the frame. Mountedon the screws 12 on each side of the frame is a channel sectioned bar13, the screws 12 passing through holes 14 (see FIG. 2) in one web 13aof the channel. Betweenthe seat frame 10 and the web 13a is a nut 15 andon the screws 12 between the web 13a and the web 13b of the bar 13 is alock-nut 16.

A number of holes 17 are provided in the web 13b. Each hole. 17 isarranged to receive one end of a hook 18, the other end of which issecured to the reinforced tongue 19 of the resilient cushion support 11.

The resilient cushion support consists of a unitary sheet of mouldedrubber of substantially rectangular shape. Each side of the support 11is provided with the integral outwardly projecting tongues 19 into eachof which is moulded, during the formation of the support, asubstantially closed U shaped metallic reinforcement clip 20. The methodof manufacture of the resilient support member is as'follows, particularreference being made to FIGS. 11 and 12. p

The mould consists of a base 21 and a lid 22.

The base 21 is provided with a depression 23 which conforms to therequired finished contour of the resilient cushion support 11, therebeing outward extensions 24 of the depression 23 at positionscorresponding to the tongues 19 of the cushion support 11.

Within each outward extension 24 is provided a groove 25 into which canbe located a flange formed along one edge of one of the arms of themetallic reinforcing clip 20.

As can be seen from FIG. 12 the metallic clip 20 is provided withaligned holes 26 in the two limbs thereof, and, in the clip illustratedthe limbs are formed so as to have their extremities in close proximityto each other. Alternatively the metallic clip may initially be of openU or V shape and will be deformed to the shape shown upon closing themould lid 22.

To produce the cushion support 11 a piece of uncured rubber compound 27is placed within the mould depression 23 (the size of the piece ofcompound 27 is less than the size of the depression) and the mould lidis closed. Heat and pressure are applied to the mould to cause thecompound to flow completely to fill the depression 23 and to encase theclips 20 and also to vulcanise the rubber. Waste of compound is avoidedby selecting the size of the piece 27 so that there is the minimum offlash to be trimmed from the cushion support 11 after moulding.

Preferably the metal used for the clips is brass and it has been foundthat in certain cases an extremely strong bond is formed between therubber and the brass without the use of a bonding agent.

The bond is mechanically strengthened by virtue of the closed shape ofthe clip arms (which ensures the formation of a wedge of rubbertherebetween) and also by the provision of the holes 26 in the arms ofthe clip 20.

In use, a resilient cushion support 11 of the kind described above issecured to a motor car seat frame by removing the lock-nuts 16 from thescrews 12 and locating the channel sectioned bars 13 on the screws 12.The lock-nuts 16 are then replaced to prevent the bars 13 from slidingoff the screws 12. It will be appreciated that the bars 13 wheninitially positioned on the screws 12 are located approximately mid-waybetween the ends of the screws 12. The moulded cushion support 11 inthis condition is under tension. Adjustment to increase or decrease thetension respectively can be achieved by releasing the nuts and movingthe bars 13 towards the frame 10 by tightening the locknuts 16 or byreleasing the lock-nuts 16 and screwing up the nuts 15.

Preferably an increase or decrease of tension of up to 10% is cateredfor.

The invention is not restricted to the support described above. Forexample, a bar 13 need only be provided along one side of the mouldedcushion support 11, the remaining three sides being secured directly tothe seat frame 10 by means of the books 18, alternatively the mouldedcushion support 11 may be provided with two bars 13 along sides adjacentto each other.

If desired, the bars 13 may be of a shape other than channel shape asshown in FIG. 4 where they are in fact of angle shape, as indicated at28.

If it is desired to provide a cushion support consisting of a pluralityof moulded rubber webs 29 as shown in FIG. 13, several of these can beattached at spaced intervals along a single bar 13 and either have asecond bar at their other ends (not shown) or alternatively be arrangedto be attached directly to the seat frame 10 by the hooks 18.

If desired each web 29 may have its own individual bar 13 or bars 13.

As shown in FIG. 3 the means of attachment of the cushion support 11 orthe webs 29 to a wooden, or other solid frame 10 may be achieved bymounting the screw 12 on an end plate 30 and securing this by screws 31,or by welding in the case of a metal frame 10.

In yet a further modification, as shown in FIG. 5 tension adjustingmeans may consist of an arrangement having an externally screw threadedrod 32 attached to the moulded cushion support 11 or the webs 29, therebeing an internally threaded tube 33 arranged to be screwed onto the rod32 and attached to the frame 10.

In this case there may be provided a hook 34 integral with the rod 32.The tube 33 would be so secured to the frame 10 as to allow for rotationof the tube and one means of achieving this is to provide an internallydirected flange 35 on the tube and to secure to the frame 10 a lug 36having an enlarged head 37.

In the case of a unitary support 11 there would be rods 32 at spacedintervals along at least one side thereof.

In the case of individually moulded webs 29 each would be provided, atleast at one end, with a rod 32. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, thetube 33 could be attached to the support 11 by means of a hook 38 havingan enlarged head 39. The end of the tube 33 is swaged over the head 39.The rod 32 would be attached to the frame 10 in this instance. Again thearrangement may be used with a unitary support 11 or with webs 29.

Any other attachment device whose effective length is capable of beingadjusted may in fact, be used between the seat frame 10 and the support11 and some examples are illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10.

The lug may be attached to an end plate which latter is provided withholes whereby it may be secured to a solid, for example, a wooden frame.

Referring now to FIG. 7, it will be seen that a hook 38 identical tothat of FIG. 6 is used and in this case it is attached to a screwed rod40 which passes through an internally threaded collar 41 secureddirectly to the frame 10 and aligned with a hole 42 formed therein. Asshown the rod 40 is provided with an integral hexagonal nut 43 which isswaged over the enlarged head 39.

Referring now to FIG. 8, an arrangement including two screwed rods isshown. One rod 44 is attached to the frame 10 and the other, 45, isattached, by means of an integral hook 46 to the cushion support 11 orweb 29.

The screw threads of the rods 44 and 45 are of opposite hand and aconnector 47 is provided with a hexagonally formed central region toallow it to be rotated to vary cushion support or web tension.

In the arrangement of FIG. 9 there is provided a book 48 having anelongated arm 49 thereon. The arm is provided with a hole 50 to allow ascrewed rod 51 (attached to the frame 10) to pass therethrough and a nut52 and lock-nut 53 are provided for allowing adjustment of the tensionin the support 11 or web 29.

The arrangement illustrated in FIG. 10 is identical with that of FIG. 2with the exception that the cushion support 54 is provided with hookreceiving rods 55 moulded into the end regions of the tongues. The hookreceiving rods 55 are located in thickened up portions 56 of thetongues.

The manufacture of the cushion support 54 is basically similar to thatdescribed above in that a piece of uncured rubber compound is located inthe base of a two part mould and in that the hook receiving rods arepositioned in the mould prior to applying heat and pressure thereto. Inthis case, however, the mould depression is provided, at the end regionsof the outward extensions 24, with slots into which rubber compoundflows to form the thickened parts 56. The rods 55 are supported in theslots on locating pins and a lug which project from the base of theslot. The lug is located centrally of the slot and projects inwardlyfrom the outermost wall thereof to define the size and position of thecavity 57.

Referring now to FIG. 14, there is provided a cushion support 11 and aframe consisting of two parts 58 and 59. Each frame part is of tubularform and of substantially U-shape. The ends of the arms of the part 58are externally screw threaded at 60 and the ends of the arms of the part59 are also externally screw threaded at 61, the threads being ofopposite hand to the threads 60. A connector 62 is provided to enablethe two frame parts 58 and 59 to be secured together and also to enablethe effective length of the frame to be modified.

The arrangement above described may be modified as shown in FIG. 15 inwhich one frame part 58 is provided with a ratchet bar 63 securedtherein and the other part 59 (into which the ratchet bar 63 can move)is provided with a ratchet Wheel 64, mounted in a housing 65 formed onthe frame part, by means of a spindle 66. The ratchet wheel 64 is keyedor otherwise secured to the spindle 66 and the spindle may be providedwith a handwheel (not shown) for enabling adjustment of the frame lengthto be made. If desired there may be a handwheel for each ratchet wheel64 or a single handwheel, adapted to rotate the ratchet wheels 64 inunison.

I claim:

1. A cushion support comprising a unitary resilient member moulded froma material which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and willbe resilient when cold, metallic reinforcing means in the form ofsubstantially U-shaped metallic clips, the arms of which are, at theirextremities, in close proximity moulded into said resilient member atleast at the ends thereof, hook means removably attached to saidmetallic clips, and tension adjusting means attached to said hook meansat least at one end of said resilient support, said tension adjustingmeans including at least one metal bar adapted to be adjustably mountedrelative to a furniture frame, threaded rods secured tosaid metal bar,and nuts and lock-nuts on said threaded rods to retain said metal 'barin position after tension adjustment of said resilient member.

2. A cushion support comprising a unitary resilient member ofsubstantially rectangular shape moulded from a material which will flowwhen subjected to heat and pressure and will be resilient when cold,integral tongues located at spaced intervals around the periphery ofsaid resilient member, metallic reinforcing means in said tongues in theform of substantially U-shaped metallic clips, the arms of which are, attheir extremities, in close proximity moulded into said resilient memberat least at the ends thereof, hook means removably attached to saidmetallic clips and tension adjusting means attached to said hook meansat least at one end of said resilient support, said tension adjustingmeans including at least one metal bar adapted to be adjustably mountedrelative to a furniture frame, threaded rods secured to said metal bar,and nuts and lock-nuts on said threaded rods to retain said metal bar inposition after tension adjustment of said resilient member.

3. A cushion support comprising a unitary resilient member moulded froma material which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and willbe resilient when cold, integral tongues located at spaced intervalsaround the periphery of said resilient member, metallic reinforcingmeans in said tongues in the form of substantially -shaped metallicclips, the arms of which, at their extremities, are in close proximitymoulded into said tongues, hook means removably attached to saidmetallic clips and tension adjusting means along at least one side ofsaid resilient support, said tension adjusting means including at leastone channel sectioned metal bar adapted to 'be adjustably mountedrelative to a furniture frame, threaded rods secured to said metal bar,and nuts and lock-nuts on said threaded rods to retain said metal bar inposition after tension adjustment of said resilient member.

4. A cushion support comprising a unitary resilient member moulded froma material which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and willbe resilient when cold, integral tongues located at spaced intervalsaround the periphery of said resilient member, metallic reinforcingmeans in said tongues in the form of substantially U-shaped metallicclips, the arms of which, at their eX- tremities, are in close proximitymoulded into said tongues, hook means removably attached to saidmetallic clips and tension adjusting means along two adjacent sides ofsaid resilient support, said tension adjusting means along each of saidadjacent sides including channel sectioned metal bars adapted to beadjustably mounted relative to a furniture frame, threaded rods securedto said metal bars and nuts and lock-nuts on said threaded rods toretain said metal bars in position after tension adjustment of saidresilient member.

5. A cushion support comprising a unitary resilient member moulded froma material which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and willbe resilient when cold, integral tongues located at spaced intervalsaround the periphery of said resilient member, metallic reinforcingmeans in said tongues in the form of substantially U-shaped metallicclips, the arms of which, at their extremities, are in close proximitymoulded into said tongues, hook means removably attached to saidmetallic clips, and tension adjusting means along each side of saidresilient support, said tension adjusting means along each side of saidresilient support including a channel sectional metal bar adapted to beadjustably mounted relative to a furniture frame, threaded rods securedto said metal bars and nuts and lock-nuts on said threaded rods toretain said metal bars in position after tension adjustment of saidresilient member.

6. A cushion support comprising a unitary resilient member moulded froma material which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and willbe resilient when cold, integral tongues located at spaced intervalsaround the periphery of said resilient member, metallic reinforcingmeans in said tongues in the form of substantially U-shaped metallicclips, the arms of which, at their extremities, are in close proximitymoulded into said tongues, hook means removably attached to saidmetallic clips and tension adjusting means in the form of an anglesectioned bar along at least one side of said resilient support, saidangle sectioned metal bar adapted to be adjustably mounted relative to afurniture frame, threaded rods secured to said metal bar and nuts andlock-nuts on said threaded rods to retain said metal bar in positionafter tension adjustment of said resilient member.

7. A cushion support comprising a unitary resilient member moulded froma material which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and willbe resilient when cold, integral tongues located at spaced intervalsaround the periphery of said resilient member, metallic reinforcingmeans in said tongues in the form of substantially U-shaped metallicclips, the arms of which, at their extremities, are in close proximitymoulded, into said tongues, hook means removably attached to saidmetallic clips and tension adjusting means in the form of an anglesectioned bar located along two adjacent sides of said resilientsupport, each of said angle sectioned metal bars adapted to beadjustably mounted relative to a furniture frame, threaded rods securedto said metal bars and nuts and lock-nuts on said threaded rods toretain said metal bars in position after tension adjustment of saidresilient member.

8. A cushion support comprising a unitary resilient member moulded froma material which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and willbe resilient when cold, integral tongues located at spaced intervalsaround the periphery of said resilient member, metallic reinforc ingmeans in said tongues in the form of substantially U-shaped metallicclips, the arms of which, at their extremities, are in close proximitymoulded into said tongues, hook means removably attached to saidmetallic clips and tension adjusting means in the form of an anglesectioned bar located along each side of said resilient support, each ofsaid angle sectioned metal bars adapted to be adjustably mountedrelative to a furniture frame, threaded rods secured to said metal bars,and nuts and lock-nuts on said threaded rods to retain said metal barsin position after tension adjustment of said resilient member.

9. A cushion support having at least one resilient member moulded from amaterial which will flow when subjected to heat and pressure and will beresilient when cold, hook means on said member, and cushion supporttension adjusting means in the form of at least one metallic barconnected to said resilient support, said metallic bar being mountedupon tWo spaced-apart screw threaded rods each having an end plate,holes in said end plates to enable fastening means to pass therethroughand secure said end plates and thus said externally screw threaded rodsto said furniture frame, a nut and a lock-nut on said externally screwthreaded rod to cause, when moved, tension adjustment of said resilientsupport.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Van Eaton 5-221Grossman 5,-223 X Gould 5-221 Humphrey 5220 X Gray 5-225 Bernstein 5263X Baker 5186 Karg 5210 Bailey 297-461 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primal Examiner.

1 R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CUSHION SUPPORT COMPRISING A UNITARY RESILIENT MEMBER MOULDED FROMA MATERIAL WHICH WILL FLOW WHEN SUBJECTED TO HEAT AND PRESSURE AND WILLBE RESILIENT WHEN COLD, METALLIC REINFORCING MEANS IN THE FORM OFSUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED METALLIC CLIPS, THE ARMS OF WHICH ARE, AT THEIREXTREMITIES, IN CLOSE PROXIMITY MOULDED INTO SAID RESILIENT MEMBER ATLEAST AT THE ENDS THEREOF, HOOK MEANS REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAIDMETALLIC CLIPS, AND TENSION ADJUSTING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID HOOK MEANSAT LEAST AT ONE END OF SAID RESILIENT SUPPORT, SAID TENSION ADJUSTINGMEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE METAL BAR ADAPTED TO BE ADJUSTABLY MOUNTEDRELATIVE TO A FURNITURE FRAME, THREADED RODS SECURED TO SAID METAL BAR,AND NUTS AND LOCK-NUTS ON SAID THREADED RODS TO RETAIN SAID METAL BAR INPOSITION AFTER TENSION ADJUSTMENT OF SAID RESILIENT MEMBER.